As you know, I’m currently editing my closet (read parts 1 a minimal closet and 2, sorting your closet, of my closet editing series). I’m pleased to say that I have already given many garments up for donation. My once huge pile of t-shirts, has been shrunk tremendously and many clothes that just did not suit my style anymore have been disposed of as well.

But, there is still work to be done. There are many items that I wear very seldom, partly due to the fact that I have become a more dressy and less casual dresser. Still, there are many situations for which my casual clothes would be very suitable. The question is how much to keep and what should be given up? 

Fine tuning your editing

For example, I have a lot of casual wear that I don’t wear so often anymore. My big pile of t-shirts was a good example of that. But I also own slacks, baggy jeans and very casual skirts that I hardly ever wear. Still, khaki jeans can be handy when you go for a walk in the bush and other casual clothes are useful when you go out for a quick school run to pick up your kid.

Today, I needed to do just that. A perfect occassion to wear something casual and to pick some clothes that I do not REALLY like anymore, but kept for casual situations like this. It’s a great time to ‘test’ if those clothes should still be in your closet.

So that is exactly what I did. I wore some of my question mark garments and tested out how I felt. This was the perfect occasion to wear clothes like that, and if I did not feel fabulous in them for the occassion for which I had kept them, then it would be time to let them go as well.

And that is exactly what happened. I wore them, realised I was in casual mode, but did not like the feeling of wearing these particular casual clothes at all. That is the surest sign that these clothes no longer a good fit for your cupboard and style. Remember, you only want to have garments in there that you love and make you FEEL GOOD about yourself.

Fine tuning your style

This process can also help you to fine-tune your style. From the above test I can draw certain conclusions:

  • I don’t like to dress too casual, even in casual situations
  • My casual clothes need to have cleaner lines and be less baggy
  • I don’t like to wear any tight standard t-shirts anymore even if they have a nice colour and a fabulous print (I was wearing one of the t-shirts that still made the cut)
If you repeat this process a few times, you will quickly get some interesting new insights about your style and how it has evolved and your cupboard will become more manageable.

Conclusion

I feel that this is the perfect final test to find out if clothes should stay or go. Make sure to wear your quenstion mark items on the perfect occasion for which you kept them and if they don’t perform and make you feel good, they are OUT.

What is your opinion on this? Does it seem like a reasonable test to you?

Photo by the Outnet featuring a Dion Lee skirt

Sylvia

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.

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